The approval moves the Classical Academy one step closer to having the downtown campus it has sought for more than four years.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for us, as we grow as an institution,” Executive Director Cameron Curry said.

The approval could be appealed to the Escondido City Council in the next 10 days.

The school also must gain state approval for its plan to use as much as $20 million in revenue bonds renovating the Times buildings. But school officials have said they’re highly confident that financing won’t be a problem.

The Classical Academy agreed to buy the property for $7 million from U-T San Diego, which acquired the site when it bought the North County Times in October.

The high school is now spread across multiple buildings a few blocks away on Woodward Avenue and in the Escondido arts center.

School officials said Tuesday they expect the new campus to open in August 2014.

The renovation wouldn’t add buildings to the Times site. But a hallway would be added to connect the north and south buildings, which are both about 30,000 square feet. And a second floor would be added in the south building, which formerly housed the printing press.

The first floor of the south building would become a large multipurpose room, where students could eat lunch and congregate. But the school would not have a kitchen or serve food.

A quad would also be added on the southeast corner, near Juniper Street and Valley Parkway. Students would be dropped off and picked up on the northeast corner, near Juniper and Pennsylvania Avenue.

Concerns about drop-offs and pick-ups were raised Tuesday by commissioners against the proposal, a nearby property owner and the owner of Owens Automotive across the street.

“It’s a horrible mess,” John Owens said of congestion around the Classical Academy’s existing campus on Woodward. “This is going to create more problems downtown.”

Commissioner Jeff Weber agreed. He also questioned why the city was allowing the school to have 199 parking spots when city codes require 283 for a development of this size.